Not so Nearly Headless
by Tarnished Libris
Summary: In Harry Potter's second year, Nearly Headless Nick was turned down from the Headless Hunt. The Hunt continues to tease Sir Nick, so the Bloody Baron takes matters into his own hands.


Disclaimer:

Show Host: Are you blonde?

Me: Yes.

SH: Are you rich?

Me: No.

SH: Are you living in Britain?

Me: No.

SH: Are your initials JKR?

Me: No.

SH: CONGRATULATIONS, YOU ARE NOT THE OWNER OF HARRY POTTER!

Me: I kind of gathered that.

* * *

><p>The Bloody Baron sighed for the three-hundred-ninety-second time that evening as he listened to the ghostly gossip floating around Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington's five-hundredth Deathday party. The Wailing Widow, from Dublin, had scared yet another couple from her manor, while the fair Helena Ravenclaw still refused to dance with him and Sir Nick was still Nearly-Headless.<p>

The Headless Hunt was a group of ghosts that were, obviously, headless for one reason or another. No one ever invited them to parties and such, but the Hunt usually showed up anyway. Almost every ghost knew at least one member of the Headless Hunt, and all were well acquainted with their requirements to be a part of the hunt. It was rather tiresome, in the Baron's opinion, seeing them visit Sir Nick every year and taunt him. ″Still Nearly-Headless, Nick?″ was one of the politest taunts they used. Nick was extra-gloomy when ever the Hunt came through, like a rejected child longing for other children's company, but being denied.

Nick had valiantly been trying to continue his speech after his three second-year Gryffindors had left, but the Hunt continued distracting the audience. Finally, the Bloody Baron had enough of their games. ″Enough!″ He roared, darkening his aura malevolently. The crowd stopped and a dead silence rose. The Baron stalked over to where Sir Nick and Sir Patrick 'Perfectly Decapitated' Delaney-Podmore, stood. Closing on the captain of the Headless Hunt, the Baron snapped ″I have had enough of your constant yearly teasing and mocking of Sir Nick. You have severely injured Sir Nicholas' pride and honor, and I will stand for it no longer. I have had enough.″

At this point, the Baron drew his sword. Instinctively, everyone stepped back. Sir Podmore moved to draw his own sword but a metaphysical push from the Slytherin house ghost sent him reeling. The Baron and Sir Nick were the only ones remaining in the circle of ghostly figures. He looked closely at the thin, bloody line on Sir Nicholas' neck, then slashed out with his rapier. The entire group gasped as Sir Nick's head went flying. The Baron smirked as he retrieved the rejection letter that the Hunt had sent. He wiped his sword on the parchment, and threw it at Sir Patrick's ghostly feet; a direct challenge. The captain protested weakly, but backed down with a glare from the Baron. He drew his sword and inducted Sir Nick into the Headless Hunt. The Baron sheathed his own sword and turned to float away into the dungeons.

Helena Ravenclaw caught his arm. ″That was a good thing you just did.″

″I'm not entirely incapable of good deeds, Lady Helena.″ He returned sarcastically.

″I never said that.″ She replied stiffly.

″Sarcasm always did fly over your pretty head.″ The Baron smirked. She swatted his arm, just as she had done centuries ago when they both were still among the living.

″How did you know it would work, Aries?″ She asked.

″I didn't. It was a gamble and I took it.″ He paused to admire the Grey Lady. Even after knowing her for so many years, he still considered her as beautiful as he had the day they met. ″Dance with me Helena?″ He asked, raising his arms to a traditional dancing pose. She hesitated, and for a moment the Baron thought she would decline, as she had done every other year. She slowly linked her hands with his and they twirled out to the dance floor. They turned heads left and right, for their rivalry was just as old and intense as the one that Sir Nick had had with the Headless Hunt.

″Imagine his young lions surprise tomorrow morning at breakfast.″ Helena remarked, as the Baron dipped her back, towards the floor.

″Yes, it will be amusing, won't it?″ Aries Slytherin replied. The party broke up sometime later, each ghost returning to their favorite haunt for the night.

The next morning at breakfast, Sir Nick popped up through the sausages as he usually did, startling everyone in the vicinity. ″Good morning, Gryffindors!″ Nick saluted, pulling his head completely off and settling it back on to his neck.

″Morning, Sir Nick,″ was the choice of response but it got cut off half way through.

″Do that again.″ Hermione Granger sputtered, dribbling pumpkin juice everywhere from her spilled goblet. ″What, this?″ He asked, repeating the gesture.

″You've got to be joking.″ The Weasley twins said together.

″What is it?″ Several people said.

″Sir Nick is no longer nearly headless. But how?″ Hermione said.

The Bloody Baron floated over. ″The how would be my sword, Miss Granger. The why, is that I got tired of constant teasing from the Headless Hunt, and simply took matters into my own hands.″

″When did this marvelous event occur?″ Dumbledore asked, from the staff table.

″Last night, at my five-hundredth Deathday party.″ Sir Nick said, puffing out his chest with pride.

Congratulations rang out from the more alert Gryffindors and a few of the other students that knew the lion's house ghost. Sir Nick beamed and rambled over to a ghost of a pony that he mounted. ″My new comrades call! Farewell Hogwarts!″ The students all scrambled after the ghost. He joined the other mounted members of the Hunt. With one final wave, they rode off.

The Grey Lady floated up behind the Baron and said ″He's not Nearly-Headless anymore. Who'll be the Gryffindor House ghost now?″

The Baron smirked as he recalled one ghost that few students ever remembered seeing. ″Let's go find Claire Gryffindor. It is high time she took her rightful place as House Ghost.″

″Godric's daughter? Didn't she leave that nasty bruise on Jamie Hufflepuff's face three centuries ago for suggesting it then?″ Helena asked.

″She'll be more amenable to it now, since Sir Nick has gone. Remember she called him out since he did not act like a true descendant of Gryffindor when he died, and refused to have anything to do with him? Right when Sir Nick actually showed up for the first time, two centuries before the Friar incident.″ The Baron remembered, leading Helena through the library.

″I'll be more amenable to what, Aries?″ A sharp Scottish voice called.

″Ah, Claire. Gryffindor no longer has a house ghost, and Nearly Headless Nick is completely headless now, due to my sword. He just left with the rest of the Hunt.″ He answered.

″I saw. Perhaps I might take up residence in my tower once more.″ She mused. ″Go, let me think on it. But for Merlin's sake, if that liar comes back, I swear to ye, he'll not only be headless, but gutless as well!″ She swore, drawing a sharp dagger from her boot.

Aries Slytherin actually laughed, as he moved away from his friend's haunt, down to his own. It pleased him to note the air temperature dropped a few degrees.

A/N: For those of you who got confused,

Aries Slytherin – The Bloody Baron

Helena Ravenclaw – The Grey Lady

Jamie Hufflepuff – The Fat Friar

Claire Gryffindor – Godric's daughter, new House Ghost.

This was just something I came up with, it won't be expanded upon or continued. Reviews are very welcome as are favorites and subscriptions.


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